Centrifugal atomizer with fixed fan jet feed



July 27, 1965 o, NORRIS 3,197,143

CENTRIFUGAL ATOMIZER WITH FIXED FAN JET FEED Filed Oct. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 45 F fi s 43 X 1 44 ar-l-"W. 1

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INVENTOR EDWARD 0. NORRI ATTORNEY y 7, 1965 E. o. NORRIS 3,197,143

CENIRIFUGAL ATOMIZER WITH FIXED FAN JET FEED Filed Oct. 16, 1962' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l VENTOR [om/Al?!) NQRB/S ATTORNIEY United States Patent 3,197,143 CENTRIFUGAL ATOMIZER WITH FIXED FAN JET FEED Edward 0. Norris, Ledgemoor Lane, Westport, Conn. Filed Get. 16, 1%2, Ser. No. 230,870 4 Claims. (ill. 239-223) This invention relates to spray coating apparatus and more particularly to a centrifugal atomizer for spraying a coating material on a surface to be treated.

An object is to provide an atomizer of the above type having novel and improved characteristics.

A more specific object is to provide improved means for feeding the material for spraying to a centrifugal atomizer of the above type.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention the centrifugal atomizer consists of a plurality of stacked rings arranged in spaced relationship to provide a plurality of annular passages there between through which the material is ejected. Means is provided for feeding the material on to the inner peripheries of such rings in the form of a fan-shaped jet which is disposed in a plane to intersect all of such annular passages so as to spread the spray material uniformly across the entire axial width of the assembly. Means is provided for adjusting the angularity and plane of the fan jet to effect the desired distribution.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the acompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial section showing the spraying device;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 3 is a partial axial section similar to FIG. 1 but on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation on a larger scale of the orifice tip, and

FIG. 5 is an axial section taken on the line S5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the spraying apparatus is shown as comprising a plurality of distributor rings Ill disposed between a lower coned disc 11 and an upper cone disc 12 and held in spaced relationship by clamping bolts 14 to provide annular spray passages 13 there between. The lower disc 11 is clamped on a shaft 15 by a clamping nut 16. The shaft 15 is journalled in bearings 17 and 1.8 in a fixed housing 19 having an upper flange 20 which is adjusted to be connected by a supporting member 21 to the housing of a driving member such as an air motor 22.

The housing 19 is formed with a lower flange 23 having a peripheral groove 24 which forms a running seal with an inner peripheral flange 12a of the upper coned disc 12.

A slinger ring 69 having an outer peripheral flange 61 seated against the peripheral edge of the disc 12 is formed with an inner upstanding flange e2 which extends over the outer peripheral surface of the flange 23 to prevent deposition of spray material thereon.

A pipe 25 carrying the spray material extends through the lower flange 23 into the chamber 26 within the inner periphery of the rings 10 and is connected to a nozzle 27 composed of a housing 28 and a cap 29 which is secured thereto by a clamping nut 30, to form a spray tip. The nozzle 27 is formed with a passage 31 registering with a passage 32 in the cap 29 which terminates in a transverse slot 33. The slot 33 has a V-shaped base 34 which intersects the coned end 35 of the passage 32. Two wires 36 are attached to the cap 29 and extend outwardly thereice from at a selected angle to confine the radial edges of the fan-shaped jet or spray 37 which issues from the slot 33.

The nozzle 27 is arranged eccentrically of the chamber 26 and the cap 29 is so adjusted that the fan 37 lies in a substantially longitudinal plane intersecting all of the annular passages 13, preferably at an acute angle to a tangent to the inner peripheries of the rings and toward the direction of rotation of such peripheries so that the spray material is pickedrup and carried along by the rotating rings 10.

A valve seat 41 is disposed near the lower end of the pipe 25 is adapted to be closed by a valve 42 on the lower end of a valve stem 43. The stem 43 extends upwardly in the pipe 25 and projects outwardly through a packing gland 44. The upper end of the stem 43 is connected to be actuated by an air cylinder 45 secured by a flange 46 to the housing 21. A feed pipe 47 is connected to the pipe25 below the gland 44.

The air cylinder 45 is adapted to open and close the valve 42 for controlling the discharge of spray material.

The pipe 25 may be rotatably adjusted in the flange 23 and secured by set screw 59 for varying the angle of the plane of the fan 37.

The slinger ring 6% is formed with openings 63 which are adapted to register with the set screw 50 for adjustment purposes.

A sleeve 51 depends from the flange 23 around the shaft 15 and is enclosed within a second sleeve 52 which is secured to or forms a part of the'lower disc 11 and extends upwardly with its upper end 53 fitting ina groove 54- in the fixed sleeve 51 so as to form a seal to prevent the spray material from entering the bearings. A packing ring 55 is disposed between the fixed sleeve 51 to further seal the bearing 17.

In the embodiment shown a cylindrical screen 56 is disposed in the chamber 26 adjacent the inner peripheries of the rings 10 for improving the distribution of the spray material to the various annular passages 13. In some cases the screen 56 may replace the stack of rings 10 or a series of concentric screens may be used having apertures from which the spray material is discharged centrifugally.

In the operation of this device the spray material is fed through the pipe 25 under a pressure adapted to cause the material to be discharged from the nozzle 27 in the form of a fan jet 37 as indicated, the side edges of which are confined and directed by the wires 36. This material is picked up and discharged outwardly by centrifugal force from the outer rims of the rings 10. For spreading the spray axially of the distributor the rings are shown as provided with flanges 57 which are inclined away from the center line of the rings so as to give the spray an axial component as it is discharged. The rings 16 are formed with shoulders 58 which assist in discharging the material in the passages 13 on to the curved concave surfaces of the flanges 57 so that the material feeds along such surfaces and is thrown outwardly therefrom by centrifugal force. The inner peripheries of the rings 10 are formed with inclined surfaces 59 which are adapted to feed the material on to the surfaces of the rings 10 along which the material is fed to the outer flanges 57. The atomization and spreading of the spray may be assisted if desired by applying an electrostatic charge to the head in accordance with the usual electrostatic spray techniques What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal atomizer comprising a plurality of rings stacked in spaced relationship to provide annular passages therebetween, means mounting said rings for rotation about their axes whereby spray material is discharged centrifugally through said annular passages, a fixed nozzle disposed within the inner peripheries of said rings, said nozzle having means ejecting spray material in the form of a fan jet therefrom, a pipe connected to said nozzle to supply said spray material thereto under pressure, said nozzle being so disposed thatsaid fan jet intersects all of said annular passages for supplying spray material-thereto, said nozzle being disposed eccentrically of said chamber and adapted to direct said fan in a plane forming an acute angle with a tangent to the inner peripheries of said rings and in the direction of travel of said inner peripheries whereby the spray material is picked up by said rings and discharged outwardly therefrom.

2. A centrifugal atomizer comprising a plurality of rings stacked in spaced relationship to provide annular passages therebetween, means mounting said rings for rotation about their axes whereby spray material is discharged centrifugally through said annular passages, a fixed nozzle disposed within the inner peripheries of said rings, said nozzle having means ejecting spray material in the form of a fan jet therefrom, a pipe connected to said nozzle to supply said spray material thereto under pressure, said nozzle being so disposed that said fan jet intersects all of said annular'passages for supplying spray material thereto, and a pair of wires attached to said nozzle and projecting outwardly therefrom at an angle defining the edge of the fan jet whereby the jet is confined between said wires.

3. A centrifugal atomizer comprising a plurality of rings stacked in spaced relationship to provide annular passages therebetween, means mounting said rings for rotation about their axes whereby spray material is discharged .centrifugally through said annular passages, a

fixed nozzle disposed within the inner peripheries of said rings and centrally of thetaxial span of said annular passages, said nozzle having means ejecting spray material in the form of a diverging fan-shaped spray therefrom, a pipe connected to said nozzle to supply said spray material thereto under pressure, said nozzle being disposed eccentrically of said rings and so spaced from the inner peripheral edges thereof that said fan-shaped spray intersects all of said annular passages for supplying spray material thereto, and a cylindrical screen disposed within said chamber between said nozzle and said rings for controlling the distribution of spray material to said passages.

4. A centrifugal atomizer comprising an annular member composed of a plurality of stacked discs having inner peripheral surfaces and spaced apart to provide a plurality of openings therebetween and adapted to discharge a spray material in an annular spray pattern having a substantial axial width means mounting said annular member for rotation about its axis for discharging said spray material centrifugally therefrom, means including end closure members associated with said annular member and adapted to form therewith a substantially closed internal chamber, a fixed spray nozzle disposed in said chamber and spaced from the inner periphery of said annular member and substantially midway between said end closure members, said nozzle having an opening adapted to produce a thin fan-shaped spray which diverges axially ofsaid chamber and becomes coextensive with said inner periphery of said annular member at the point of contact therewith whereby said openings traverse said fan-shaped spray and receive spray material therefrom as they rotate and means supplying material for spraying to said nozzle under a pressure suited to produce said fan-shaped spray and to cause the spray particles to engage the inner peripheral surface of said annular member and to be distributed across the entire axial length thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EVERETT w. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

4. A CENTRIFUGAL ATOMIZER COMPRISING AN ANNULAR MEMBER COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF STACKED DISCS HAVING INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACES AND SPACED APART TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREBETWEEN AND ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE A SPRAY MATERIAL IN AN ANNULAR SPRAY PATTERN HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL AXIAL WIDTH MEANS MOUNTING SAID ANNULAR MEMBER FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS FOR DISCHARGING SAID SPRAY MATERIAL CENTRIFUGALLY THEREFROM, MEANS INCLUDING END CLOSURE MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ANNULAR MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO FORM THEREWITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED INTERNAL CHAMBER, A FIXED SPRAY NOZZLE DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER AND SPACED FROM THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ANNULAR MEMBER AND SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID END CLOSURE MEMBERS, SAID NOZZLE HAVING AN OPENING ADAPTED TO PRODUCE A THIN FAN-SHAPED SPRAY WHICH DIVERGES AXIALLY OF SAID CHAMBER AND BECOMES COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ANNULAR MEMBER AT THE POINT OF CONTACT THEREWITH WHEREBY SAID OPENINGS TRAVERSE SAID FAN-SHAPED SPRAY AND RECEIVE SPRAY MATERAIL THEREFROM AS THEY ROTATE AND MEANS SUPPLYING MATERIAL FOR SPRAYING TO SAID NOZZLE UNDER A PRESSURE SUITED TO PRODUCE SAID FAN-SHAPED SPRAY AND TO CAUSE THE SPRAY PARTICLES TO ENGAGE THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ANNULAR MEMBER AND TO BE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AXIAL LENGTH THEREOF. 